The North-Western Basin Branch fleet was replenished by a new mark boat with ice reinforcement, the Viktor Kuskov, of BLV04 Project on November 23, 2017.

The vessel was built at the Sosnovsky shipyard (the Kirov region, Russia) under the order of FSUE “Rosmorport”.

The Viktor Kuskov mark boat became the 11^th mark boat used by the North-Western Basin Branch and the 61^st vessel of Branch’s fleet.

The vessel has advanced electric and radio navigational equipment and a hydraulic complex on the base of the EM 2040C multi-beam echosounder produced by Kongsberg Maritime. The echosounder will be used to take measurements of the bottom in the water area of the seaport of Ust Luga. The Viktor Kuskov boat has good maneuverability and small draft that will help survey the bottom configuration in soundings. Moreover, a crane with capacity of up to six tons has been installed on the vessel to arrange aids to navigation.

At present, the North-Western Basin Branch is filing a set of documents to obtain a certificate of classification. It is expected that after receiving necessary permitting documents the vessel will start carrying out marine survey in the seaport of Ust Luga in the first quarter of 2018.

For reference

The ship was named in honor of the Hero of the Soviet Union Viktor Dmitriyevich Kuskov, a motorman of a torpedo motorboat. During the Great Patriotic War, he was awarded with the Gold Star Medal and the Order of Lenin for sinking three vessels of the enemy, for courage and heroism.

The vessel’s key particulars